Parma Vs AC Milan: Rossoneri Aim For Top Spot At Stadio Tardini

JAKARTA - AC Milan has the chance to seize top spot in Serie A—at least temporarily—when they travel to Parma on Saturday night, November 8th. While Napoli, Roma, and Inter all play the following day, a win at the Stadio Tardini could send the Rossoneri into first place.

Massimiliano Allegri's side are in consistent form and full of confidence. After two disappointing draws, Milan returned to winning ways by defeating AS Roma last week.

Rafael Leão was once again the star of the show with a spectacular solo effort that led to Strahinja Pavlovic's goal, before captain Mike Maignan saved Paulo Dybala's penalty—the first goalkeeper to do so since 2021.

The win extended Milan's unbeaten run to 10 matches in all competitions, and they now sit fourth in Serie A, just one point behind Napoli. Allegri remained humble, saying it was too early to talk about the Scudetto, but Milan's current form clearly shows they are serious contenders.

Before facing Inter in the Derby della Madonnina after the international break, Milan must ensure they don't slip up in Parma. Historically, they have been quite dominant—winning seven of their last 10 meetings against the Gialloblu and losing only once.

Parma Condtion

Parma are at the opposite end of the performance spectrum. After starting the season with great promise under young coach Carlos Cuesta, they now languish just one place above the relegation zone.

A 3-1 defeat to Bologna in the Derby dell'Emilia last week extended Parma's misery. They took an early lead, but Christian Ordonez's red card ruined the game and ultimately led to a loss.

With just seven points from 10 matches, this is Parma's worst start to a Serie A season in 11 years. Their biggest problem is clearly in attack—they have scored just five goals so far, the lowest among teams in Europe's top five leagues.

Parma Team News

Injuries and suspensions are a concern for Parma. Alessandro Circati and Nahuel Estevez have just joined the treatment room after picking up injuries last week. Emanuele Valeri, Matija Frigan, Gaetano Oristanio, and two Swedish wingers—Pontus Almqvist and Jacob Ondrejka—are also out.

Christian Ordonez is unavailable due to a red card suspension. This means Parma's defense and midfield will be filled with substitutes. Up front, Patrick Cutrone—formerly of Milan—is likely to partner Mateo Pellegrino again.

AC Milan Team News

Good news comes from Milan. Christian Pulisic has recovered and is ready to return, likely starting alongside Rafael Leão, who has been in hot form with four goals in his last four Serie A matches.

Christopher Nkunku is competing for a spot in attack, while striker Santiago Gimenez remains out. In defense, Fikayo Tomori is fit and can return to strengthen the defense alongside Pavlovic and Gabbia. The only player still missing is Adrien Rabiot.

With a solid defense and a rejuvenated attack, Milan should have no trouble overcoming a Parma side that is both dull in front of goal and sluggish at the back. The Rossoneri are predicted to win 2-0 and temporarily take top spot in Serie A, before their three rivals play the following day.

Projected Lineups

Parma (4-3-1-2):

Suzuki; Delprato, Valenti, Ndiaye, Britschgi; Hernani, Keita, Sorensen; Bernabe; Pellegrino, Cutrone

AC Milan (3-5-2):

Maignan; Tomori, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Modric, Ricci, Bartesaghi; Pulisic, Leão

Predicted Score: Parma 0-2 AC Milan